mike wrote:Good topic, I'll turn it around a little and ask another question, who would you be worried about leaving the most?

For me, its Sean Gannon, his form last 2-3 months has been up there with his career best, what a player, simply gliding through matches, perfect build for a full back, McMillan is a class act, and prob deserves POTY, but Gannon for me is a player I desperately want to keep, 2 year contract too.

I'd have gone with McMillan but if we have an option of a player like Hoban returning, fit and in form then he can do the same sort of job. O'Donnell would be the toughest to replace, a player that can dictate tempo, does the simple things very well, retains possession most of the time, links back to front, can protect the back 4 and pop up with a goal. He is a big game player too - there are not too many of those around any league.

McEleney still is the big potential, if fit and consistant in form, he is the difference in unlocking teams that pack defence, I love the sort of player that has that something special like a Matt Le Tissier or a McCourt and McEleney has that kind of flair so Id go with McEleney on that alone. But really its an impossible question!! lol Like we missed Benson early season and like Finn you only really see what they give to the team when they are not in it. It will be an exciting prospect to have out and out wingers with the full-backs overlapping at pace next season and freeing up space in the centre for him to strut his stuff as opposition defences are overloaded.

Sheilds is the cult hero type like Gino that we all love in our side but would love to hate if he wasnt, but not completely irreplacable, he is a pretty classic no nonsense League of Ireland player.

In terms of being irreplaceable then you have to say it's McEleney, such a mercurial talent doesn't come about as easily as a striker or engine room midfielder (a la McMillan and O'Donnell) but his tendency to go missing in the big games as many people have stated on here means he is never really seen as a club hero sort of character like some of the less talented players (Shields, Gartland, etc.).

But the one player, for me, is Sean Gannon, as Sir John said he is the best player in his position in the league still has years of football ahead of him and SK would trust him with his life. He seems to be really enjoying his football at the minute and his passion when we score/win can be seen by all in Oriel, I always notice him urging the crowd to get involved when there is a lull in play which just makes him even more of a hero in my eyes, not many players match his passion and dedication in our league, so it has to be Gano for me!

McMillan for me!! The work he does is unbelievable, runs himself into the ground every match. Some of his movement off the ball, pulling defenders all over the shop, is just brilliant. If I could sneak another one in it would be Jamie McGrath, that young man has the potential to be an outstanding player and if he gets a run in the fisrt team, he could be the name everyone is talking about in this thread this time next year.

Davey Mac for me too. He was v good last year but has improved so much this season. His work rate goes without saying, but I think his movement, link play and finishing (particularly heading) have come on leaps and bounds. Vemmelund, Gannon & McEleney would be on my shortlist but, for me, McMillan's the key cog in our wheel at the moment.

Every single match we played this season we lost when we went behind until when a (finally) fit O'Donnell came on against Cork and we got a point. Then he plays 120 mins against Rovers the other night, first time we've come from behind to win a match all season. He's this team's heartbeat.

In a squad we have right now, knowing what we know about delivering in matches, how reliably fit players are and so on it's Davey Mc. If he had suffered an injury mid-season God knows where we'd have ended up in the table. We absolutely must keep him for next season.